Apparatus for attachment to furniture



1961 J. B. DANIELL APPARATUS FOR ATTACHMENT T0 FURNITURE Filed Oct. l9, 1959 INVENTOR. JOHN B. DANIELL W Z aaf ATTORNEY;

United States Patent APPARATUS FOR ATTACHMENT T0 John B. Daniell, 911 14th St., Santa Monica, Cahf.

Filed Oct. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 847,430 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-430) invention generally relates to an apparatus for attachment to furniture, and more particularly concerns an apparatus which may be attached to a furniture frame member (for example, an arm, leg, or frame structural member) which may be employed for the purpose of supporting a tray, glass receptacle, ash tray, or the like. The invention has been primarily designed for its application in conjunction with the retention of a tray in a convenient supported position from a furniture piece for the purpose of holding glasses, plates, and other containers and receptacles for beverage and food. Even more specifically, the invention is believed to have its greatest utility in respect to its use on various different types of patio furniture including lawn swings, chairs, and .chaise lounges.

It will be appreciated, however, that the present invention for an apparatus for attachment to furniture may be employed in a variety of applications for different purposes of an analogous nature.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that many different types of attachments have been developed for coupling to particular furniture frame members. Certain of these devices have been marketed with limited success. However, the prior art constructions have for the most part been limited to specific uses in conjunction'with particular furniture frame members. In other words, furniture frames are constructed in many diiferent ways as concerns the shape of the frame member, its structural position with respect to the overall piece of furniture, and its relationship to other frame elements. As a consequence, it has been extremely diificult to provide an attachment for furniture which is versatile enough to be applied to several different types of furniture frames and yet which is simple to construct and may be conveniently manipulated.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an attachment for furniture, particularly adaptable as a means of supporting a tray or the like, which may be simply constructed of a minimum number of parts, and yet which may be conveniently manipulated and adjusted to meet the individual users requirements.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for furniture primarily adapted for use in supporting a tray "or equivalent structure which is so designed that it may be respectively, applied to .various different types of frame members with a minimum number of adjustments.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for furniture primarily adapted for use in conjunction with a tray or the like, which may be readily positioned relative to the furniture frame such that the tray attaching portion thereof may be located in almost any given plane. 7

Still another object of the present invention is to, provide an attachment for furniture particularly adaptable for use with a tray structure, which is ruggedly constructed and which may be produced on an economical basis. a

These and other objects of the present invention are generally achieved by providing in accordance with the present invention an apparatus for clamping to a furniture frame member which comprises a supporting member designed to extend across and into engagement with one side portion of the frame member. Clamping means are designed to engage an opposite side portion of the frame member, and coupling means are provided to connect the 'ice clamping means to the supporting member. The coupling means enables pivotal movement of the supporting member with respect to the clamping means.

The supporting member necessarily has a portion, preferably angled, which is spaced from the frame member for retaining a tray or equivalent receptacle by means of an adapter.

A better understanding of the present invention will be had by reference tothe drawings, showing merely illustrative embodiments, and in which:-

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the furniture attachment apparatus of the present invention illustrating its connection or coupling to a tubular furniture frame memher; I

FIGURE 2 is a modified embodiment of the furniture frame attachment apparatus of FIGURE 1, illustrating its attachment to an angular frame member;

FIGURE 3 is a top elevational view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view of a part of the furniture 'frame attachment apparatus of FIGURE 1 shown in a different mounting position; and,

FIGURE 5.is an isometric view of two fittings adaptable for use with the furniture attachment apparatus of FIG- URE 1. a

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a tubular member 10, which may comprise any frame member of a piece of furniture. In the usual application, the frame member 10 will consist of a portion of a leg of a patio chair or the like. Coupled to. the tubular member 10 is a supporting arm generally designated by the numeral 11. The supporting arm 11 co-operates with a clamping member 12, the latter being coupled to the supporting arm and to the-other side of the tubular member 10. The supporting arm 11, in turn, has coupled at its outer end an adapter in the form of a tray holder 13.

The individual components of the furniture attachment apparatus may now be described in greater detail. The supporting arm, 11 includes a main elongated body portion 14.0f rectilinear construction which terminates at one end in an overlapping portion 15 turned back at 16. At its other end, the supporting arm 11 merges into an angled portion 17, which in turn terminates in the supporting portion 1-8. The plane of the supporting portion 18 is preferably at right angles to the plane of the rectilinear body portion 14 of the supporting arm 11. a 4

The supporting arm 11 defines therein in its overlapping portion 15 and opening 19. In its supporting portion 18, the arm 11 further defines a plurality of openings 20a, 20b, and 200. The functions of these diiferent openings will become cleareras the specification proceeds. The openings 20a,- 20b, and 200 may be more clearly seen in the view of FIGURE 4. The supporting arm 11 further defines in its body portion 14 an elongated slot 21, more clearly seenin the view of FIGURE 2.

The clamping means 12 generally comprises a U-shaped portion 22' integrally connecting with a first lateral portion 23 adapted to eo-operate with the overlapping portion 15 of the supporting arm 11. Towards this end a nut and bolt assembly 24 may be adapted to be received through the openingl) inthe overlapping portion 15 to extend through one of a plurality of openings 25 provided in the lateral portion 23 of the clamping means ,12. As shown in FIGURE 1, the nut assembly 24 is coupled through the opening 19 of the overlapping portion 15 and the center one of the openings 25 defined in the lateral portion 23 of the clamping means 12. r

The clamping-number 12 further includes a second lateral portion 26 which defines therein an elongated arcuate slot 27. A nut and bolt assembly 28 is adapted to'be received through the slo-t26 and coupled to the supporting arm 11 through the slot 21 previously identiframe member; clamping means designed to engage an opposite side portion of said frame member; pivotable coupling means connecting said clamping means to said supporting member, said coupling means enabling pivotal movement of said supporting member with respect to said clamping means, adapter means designed for attachment to said angled end portion of coupling to a receptacle structure; and, adjustable coupling means co-operatively provided on said angled end portion and said adapter means for canting said adapter means at various angles with respect to said end portion.

2. The combination, according to claim 1, in which said adapter means comprises an angled member having one portion thereof secured to said end portion through said adjustable coupling means.

3. An apparatus for clamping to a furniture frame member said apparatus comprising: a supporting member designed to extend across and into engagement with one side portion of said frame member, said supporting member having an angled end portion spaced from said frame member for retaining a tray holding structure; clamping means including a generally U-shaped portion designed to engage an opposite side portion of said frame member, said clamping means including a first lateral portion designed for fixed engagement with said supporting member and a second lateral portion designed for movable engagement with said supporting member so as to enable pivotal movement of said supporting member with respect to said first lateral portion.

4. An apparatus for clamping to a furniture frame angle member, said apparatus comprising: a supporting member designed to extend across and into engagement with one angular portion of said frame member, said supporting member including a turned back portion designed to be received over an edge of said one angular portion; clamping means designed to engage the other angular portion of said frame member, said clamping means comprising a first U-shaped member designed to be received over the edge of said other angular portion and a second U-shaped member integrally formed with said first U-shaped member, said second U-shaped member, being designed to have its open end portion engage a side of said other angular portion; and, coupling means connecting said clamping means to said supporting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,397,843 Rapp Nov. 22, 1921 2,141,818 McNamara Dec. 27, 1938 2,532,094 Gonsett et a1 Nov. 28, 1950 2,921,766 Bauer Jan. 19, 1960 

